Reds moving Tony Cingrani to bullpen

Tony Cingrani will move to the Reds' bullpen.(Photo: The Enquirer/Gary Landers)

For Reds manager Bryan Price, the question of what to do with Tony Cingrani came down to one simple question -- what makes the Reds better now? The answer was Cingrani in the bullpen for his team, not in the rotation in Louisville.

"I think we do have to prioritize this team -- in the end the most important thing is this team right now," Price said. "If we're 18 games out of first place right now, maybe it's a different decision right now to have him pitch in Triple-A as a starter and put some polish to his game. But, we still feel like we're very much in this thing and still have a lot of season to go. He does serve a valuable role for us."

For the foreseeable future, that role will be as the long man, something the Reds haven't had through the season's first 67 games.

Cingrani joins closer Aroldis Chapman and Manny Parra as left-handers in the team's bullpen, with Parra serving more as a matchup left-hander than either Chapman or Cingrani.

"As a relief pitcher he doesn't have to come in with a starter's mentality that he's going to have to face that same lineup, that same group of hitters three or four times in a start, he's going to be able to come in and manage a couple of pitches instead of three or four," Price said. "We know that he's been very effective pitching, at times, exclusively with his fastball. That being said, his breaking ball and changeup have gotten better. What we hope to see is that electric fastball that he's been able to use up in the zone as a finish pitch and provide something from that perspective."

Price was asked if that could stunt Cingrani's growth as a starter.

"I hate to say, 'stunt' but it's probably an accurate word, because his job now has changed," Price said. "We still see Tony as a starting pitcher for us, however our need with our club is someone who can give us some length."

BUMPS AND BRUISES: The Reds' major injuries are for the most part a thing of the past, but they're certainly still dealing with minor injuries.

In Friday's game, Brandon Phillips and Todd Frazier both appeared to be limping at different points in the game.

"We've been having some guys driving balls off their ankles and feet -- Frazier (Friday) and Brandon off the ankle," Price said. "(They're) slightly hobbled, but not like James Caan in 'Misery' or anything."